allan quatermain-第50部分

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And　then　came　news　that　Sorais　was　proposing　to　break　up　her　

camp　and　march　on　the　Frowning　City　itself；　desolating　the　country　

as　she　came。　　Thereon　arose　the　question　whether　it　would　be　

best　to　meet　her　at　Milosis　or　to　go　out　and　give　her　battle。　　

When　our　opinion　was　asked　upon　the　subject；　Good　and　I　unhesitatingly　

gave　it　in　favour　of　an　advance。　　If　we　were　to　shut　ourselves　

up　in　the　city　and　wait　to　be　attacked；　it　seemed　to　us　that　

our　inaction　would　be　set　down　to　fear。　　It　is　so　important；　

especially　on　an　occasion　of　this　sort；　when　a　very　little　will　

suffice　to　turn　men's　opinions　one　way　or　the　other；　to　be　up　

and　doing　something。　　Ardour　for　a　cause　will　soon　evaporate　

if　the　cause　does　not　move　but　sits　down　to　conquer。　　Therefore　

we　cast　our　vote　for　moving　out　and　giving　battle　in　the　open；　

instead　of　waiting　till　we　were　drawn　from　our　walls　like　a　badger　

from　a　hole。



Sir　Henry's　opinion　coincided　with　ours；　and　so；　needless　to　

say；　did　that　of　Nyleptha；　who；　like　a　flint；　was　always　ready　

to　flash　out　fire。　　A　great　map　of　the　country　was　brought　and　

spread　out　before　her。　　About　thirty　miles　this　side　of　M'Arstuna；　

where　Sorais　lay；　and　ninety　odd　miles　from　Milosis；　the　road　

ran　over　a　neck　of　land　some　two　and　a　half　miles　in　width；　and　

flanked　on　either　side　by　forest…clad　hills　which；　without　being　

lofty；　would；　if　the　road　were　blocked；　be　quite　impracticable　

for　a　great　baggage…laden　army　to　cross。　　She　looked　earnestly　

at　the　map；　and　then；　with　a　quickness　of　perception　that　in　

some　women　amounts　almost　to　an　instinct；　she　laid　her　finger　

upon　this　neck　of　rising　ground；　and　turning　to　her　husband；　

said；　with　a　proud　air　of　confidence　and　a　toss　of　the　golden　

head　



'Here　shalt　thou　meet　Sorais'　armies。　　I　know　the　spot；　here　

shalt　thou　meet　them；　and　drive　them　before　thee　like　dust　before　

the　storm。'



But　Curtis　looked　grave　and　said　nothing。









CHAPTER　XX

THE　BATTLE　OF　THE　PASS







It　was　on　the　third　morning　after　this　incident　of　the　map　that　

Sir　Henry　and　I　started。　　With　the　exception　of　a　small　guard；　

all　the　great　host　had　moved　on　the　night　before；　leaving　the　

Frowning　City　very　silent　and　empty。　　Indeed；　it　was　found　impossible　

to　leave　any　garrison　with　the　exception　of　a　personal　guard　

for　Nyleptha；　and　about　a　thousand　men　who　from　sickness　or　one　

cause　or　another　were　unable　to　proceed　with　the　army；　but　as　

Milosis　was　practically　impregnable；　and　as　our　enemy　was　in　

front　of　and　not　behind　us；　this　did　not　so　much　matter。



Good　and　Umslopogaas　had　gone　on　with　the　army；　but　Nyleptha　

accompanied　Sir　Henry　and　myself　to　the　city　gates；　riding　a　

magnificent　white　horse　called　Daylight；　which　was　supposed　to　

be　the　fleetest　and　most　enduring　animal　in　Zu…Vendis。　　Her　face　

bore　traces　of　recent　weeping；　but　there　were　no　tears　in　her　

eyes　now；　indeed　she　was　bearing　up　bravely　against　what　must　

have　been　a　bitter　trail　to　her。　　At　the　gate　she　reined　in　her　

horse　and　bade　us　farewell。　　On　the　previous　day　she　had　reviewed　

and　addressed　the　officers　of　the　great　army；　speaking　to　them　

such　high；　eloquent　words；　and　expressing　so　complete　a　confidence　

in　their　valour　and　in　their　ultimate　victory；　that　she　quite　

carried　their　hearts　away；　and　as　she　rode　from　rank　to　rank　

they　cheered　her　till　the　ground　shook。　　And　now　today　the　same　

mood　seemed　to　be　on　her。



'Fare　thee　well；　Macumazahn！'　she　said。　　'Remember；　I　trust　to　

thy　wits；　which　are　as　a　needle　to　a　spear…handle　compared　to　

those　of　my　people；　to　save　us　from　Sorais。　　I　know　that　thou　

wilt　do　thy　duty。'



I　bowed　and　explained　to　her　my　horror　of　fighting；　and　my　fear　

lest　I　should　lose　my　head；　at　which　she　laughed　gently　and　turned　

to　Curtis。



'Fare　thee　well；　my　lord！'　she　said。　　'Come　back　with　victory；　

and　as　a　king；　or　on　thy　soldiers'　spears。'　｛Endnote　19｝



Sir　Henry　said　nothing；　but　turned　his　horse　to　go；　perhaps　he　

had　a　bit　of　a　lump　in　his　throat。　　One　gets　over　it　afterwards；　

but　these　sort　of　partings　are　trying　when　one　has　only　been　

married　a　week。



'Here；'　added　Nyleptha；　'will　I　greet　thee　when　ye　return　in　

triumph。　　And　now；　my　lords；　once　more；　farewell！'



Then　we　rode　on；　but　when　we　had　gone　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards　

or　so；　we　turned　and　perceived　her　still　sitting　on　her　horse　

at　the　same　spot；　and　looking　out　after　us　beneath　her　hand；　

and　that　was　the　last　we　saw　of　her。　　About　a　mile　farther　on；　

however；　we　heard　galloping　behind　us；　and　looking　round；　saw　

a　mounted　soldier　coming　towards　us；　leading　Nyleptha's　matchless　

steed　　Daylight。



'The　Queen　sends　the　white　stallion　as　a　farewell　gift　to　her　

Lord　Incubu；　and　bids　me　tell　my　lord　that　he　is　the　fleetest　

and　most　enduring　horse　in　all　the　land；'　said　the　soldier；　bending　

to　his　saddle…bow　before　us。



At　first　Sir　Henry　did　not　want　to　take　the　horse；　saying　that　

he　was　too　good　for　such　rough　work；　but　I　persuaded　him　to　do　

so；　thinking　that　Nyleptha　would　be　hurt　if　he　did　not。　　Little　

did　I　guess　at　the　time　what　service　that　noble　horse　would　render　

in　our　sorest　need。　　It　is　curious　to　look　back　and　realize　upon　

what　trivial　and　apparently　coincidental　circumstances　great　

events　frequently　turn　as　easily　and　naturally　as　a　door　on　its　

hinges。



Well；　we　took　the　horse；　and　a　beauty　he　was；　it　was　a　perfect　

pleasure　to　see　him　move；　and　Curtis　having　sent　back　his　greetings　

and　thanks；　we　proceeded　on　our　journey。



By　midday　we　overtook　the　rear…guard　of　the　great　army　of　which　

Sir　Henry　then　formally　took　over　the　command。　　It　was　a　heavy　

responsibility；　and　it　oppressed　him　very　much；　but　the　Queen's　

injunctions　on　the　point　were　such　as　did　not　admit　of　being　

trifled　with。　　He　was　beginning　to　find　out　that　greatness　has　

its　responsibilities　as　well　as　its　glories。



Then　we　marched　on　without　meeting　with　any　opposition；　almost　

indeed　without　seeing　anybody；　for　the　populations　of　the　towns　

and　villages　along　our　route　had　for　the　most　part　fled；　fearing　

lest　they　should　be　caught　between　the　two　rival　armies　and　ground　

to　powder　like　grain　between　the　upper　and　the　nether　stones。



On　the　evening　of　the　fourth　day；　for　the　progress　of　so　great　

a　multitude　was　necessarily　slow；　we　camped　two　miles　this　side　

of　the　neck　or　ridge　I　have　spoken　of；　and　our　outposts　brought　

us　word　that　Sorais　with　all　her　power　was　rolling　down　upon　

us；　and　had　pitched　her　camp　that　night　ten　miles　the　farther　

side　of　the　neck。



Accordingly　before　dawn　we　sent　forward　fifteen　hundred　cavalry　

to　seize　the　position。　　Scarcely　had　they　occupied　it；　however；　

before　they　were　attacked　by　about　as　many　of　Sorais'　horsemen；　

and　a　very　smart　little　cavalry　fight　ensued；　with　a　loss　to　

us　of　about　thirty　men　killed。　　On　the　advance　of　our　supports；　

however；　Sorais'　force　drew　off；　carrying　their　dead　and　wounded　

with　them。



The　main　body　of　the　army　reached　the　neck　about　dinner…time；　

and　I　must　say　that　Nyleptha's　judgment　had　not　failed　her；　it　

was　an　admirable　place　to　give　battle　in；　especially　to　a　superior　

force。



The　road　ran　down　a　mile　or　more；　through　ground　too　broken　to　

admit　of　the　handling　of　any　considerable　force；　till　it　reached　

the　crest　of　a　great　green　wave　of　land；　that　rolled　down　a　gentle　

slope　to　the　banks　of　a　little　stream；　and　then　rolled　away　again　

up　a　still　gentler　slope　to　the　plain　beyond；　the　distance　from　

the　crest　of　the　land…wave　down　to　the　stream　being　a　little　

over　half　a　mile；　and　from　the　stream　up　to　the　plain　beyond　

a　trifle　less。　　The　length　of　this　wave　of　land　at　its　highest　

point；　which　corresponded　exactly　with　the　width　of　the　neck　

of　the　land　between　the　wooded　hills；　was　about　two　miles　and　

a　quarter；　and　it　was　protected　on　either　side　by　dense；　rocky；　

bush…clad　ground；　that　afforded　a　most　valuable　cover　to　the　

flanks　of　the　army　and　rendered　it　almost　impossible　for　them　

to　be　turned。



It　was　on　the　hither　slope　of　this　neck　of　land　that　Curtis　encamped　

his　army　in　the　same　formation　that　he　had；　after　consultation　

with　the　various　generals；　Good；　and　myself；　determined　that　

they　should　occupy　in　the　great　pitched　battle　which　now　appeared　

to　be　imminent。



Our　force　of　sixty　thousand　men　was；　roughly　speaking；　divided　

as　follows。　　In　the　centre　was　a　dense　body　of　twenty　thousand　

foot…soldiers；　armed　with　spears；　swords；　and　hippopotamus…hide　

shields；　breast　and　back　plates。　｛Endnote　20｝　　These　formed　the　

chest　of　the　army；　and　were　supported　by　five　thousand　foot；　

and　three　thousand　horse　in　reserve。　　On　either　side　of　this　

chest　were　stationed　seven　thousand　horse　arranged　in　deep；　majestic　

squadrons；　and　beyond　and　on　either　side　but　slightly　in　front　

of　them　again　were　two　bodies；　each　numbering　about　seven　thousand　

five　hundred　spearmen；　forming　the　right　and　left　wings　of　the　

army；　and　each　supported　by　a　contingent　of　some　fifteen　hundred　

cavalry。　　This　makes　in　all　sixty　thousand　men。



Curtis　commanded　in　chief；　I　was　in　command　of　the　seven　thousand　

horse　between　the　chest　and　right　wing；　which　was　commanded　by　

Good；　and　the　other　battalions　and　squadrons　were　entrusted　to　

Zu…Vendis　generals。



Scarcely　had　we　taken　up　our　positions　before　Sorais'　vast　army　

began　to　swarm　on　the　opposite　slope　about　a　mile　in　front　of　

us；　till　the　whole　place　seemed　alive　with　the　multitude　of　her　

spearpoints；　and　the　ground　shook　with　the　tramp　of　her　battalions。　　

It　was　evident　that　the　spies　had　not　exaggerated；　we　were　outnumbered　

by　at　least　a　third。　　At　first　we　expected　that　Sorais　was　going　

to　attack　us　at　once；　as　the　clouds　of　cavalry　which　hung　upon　

her　flanks　executed　some　threatening　demonstrations；　but　she　

t